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STANDARDS REQUIRED FOR AGROTECH
U. K. GANGOPADHYAY
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SASMIRA, MUMBAI
National Seminar on Role of Standards in Promotion of Technical Textiles - 30.11.2011
Agrotech Products
•
•
Special textiles that are manufactured for agricultural
applications
These textile structures are used as controlling
environment for plants / animals in applications like
–
–
–
•
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Agriculture
Horticulture
Animal husbandry
The agrotextile products for which standards exists:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Pond lining
Insect nets
Fishing nets
Leno bags for packaging
National Seminar on Role of Standards in Promotion of Technical Textiles - 30.11.2011
Agrotech Products
• Agrotextile products for which standards are required:
1. Shade nets
2. Wind shield nets
3. Bird nets
4. Crop covers
5. Harvesting nets
6. Mulch mats
7. Anti-hailstone nets
8. Packing sacks and wrappers
9. Cut grass collection bags
10. Underlay fabrics
11. Udder support nets
National Seminar on Role of Standards in Promotion of Technical Textiles - 30.11.2011
Existing Status of Standards for
Agrotech Products
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 There is a lack of clear differentiation of Agrotextile products




being used for the same application.
The nomenclature of these products did not exist Under Textiles.
Barring apart a few products, there did not exist any specification
for these products, nationally as well as internationally.
There is a lack of guidelines for ideal set – up and processing of
Agrotextile products as regards, raw material, machinery, process
parameters, quality, cost, etc.
The Center of Excellence, Agrotech has addressed these problems.
National Seminar on Role of Standards in Promotion of Technical Textiles - 30.11.2011
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COE Agrotech Initiatives
 A Committee for Formulation of standards for Agrotextiles
comprising of industry, research and academia has been formed
under recommendation of Ministry of Textiles to expedite the
process of standardization for Agrotech products.
 The objectives of this Committee are:
 Studying the relevance of existing Indian standards for Agrotech
products
 Need for amendment of existing standards in the present context
 Identifying the areas where standards for Agrotech products do not
exist
 Writing down standards and specifications for Agrotech products that
need to be proposed.
National Seminar on Role of Standards in Promotion of Technical Textiles - 30.11.2011
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Road Map for Standards
A comprehensive process is being followed to derive at the draft standards.
The process followed is as under:
 Collection of data for various Agrotextile products
 Deliberation on the data collected with a draft of standard for the product





specification at the meeting with Standards Committee for Agrotech
Revised draft as per the suggestions of the Committee
Wide Circulation of the draft to the manufacturers of the products across the
country
Modification based on the feedback from the manufacturers.
Discussion of the modification with the Committee
Incorporation of the suggestions from the Committee and preparation of the
final draft
National Seminar on Role of Standards in Promotion of Technical Textiles - 30.11.2011
EXHAUSTIVE LIST OF STANDARDS TO BE FORMULATED FOR
AGROTEXTILE PRODUCTS UNDER BIS (Short Term Schedule)
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The Committee for Formulation of Standards for Agrotextiles started with glossary for Agrotextile products
and has taken up formulation of standards for products where the Indian standards do not exist till date.
Sr. No.
Standards required for
Status
following products
1
Glossary for Agrotextiles
Submitted and circulated
2
50 % shading Shade Nets
Submitted and completed wide circulation
3
75 % shading Shade Nets
Submitted and completed wide circulation
4
90 % shading Shade Nets
Submitted and completed wide circulation
5
100 gsm woven Ground covers
Discussed at the COE Agrotextile standards committee, to be ready by
October, 2011
6
Ground covers 60 gsm Nonwoven
7
Knitted Bird Nets ½” mesh
8
Knitted Bird nets 1” mesh
To be discussed, January, 2012
To be discussed, April, 2012
To be discussed, July, 2012
National Seminar on Role of Standards in Promotion of Technical Textiles - 30.11.2011
EXHAUSTIVE LIST OF STANDARDS TO BE FORMULATED FOR
AGROTEXTILE PRODUCTS UNDER BIS (Short Term Schedule)
9
Knitted Bird Nets 1½” mesh
To be discussed, October, 2012
10
Knitted Bird Nets 2” mesh
To be discussed January, 2013
11
Knotted bird nets 1” mesh
To be discussed April, 2013
12
Knotted bird nets 2” mesh
To be discussed, July, 2013
13
Harvesting Nets for mechanised harvesting To be discussed, October, 2013
14
Harvesting nets for manual harvesting
To be discussed, January, 2014
15
Nonwoven fruit protective covers
To be discussed, April, 2014
16
Nonwoven Crop covers
To be discussed, October, 2014
17
Knitted crop covers
To be discussed, January, 2015
National Seminar on Role of Standards in Promotion of Technical Textiles - 30.11.2011
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EXISTING STANDARDS
Sr.
No.
Standards required for
following products
Status
1
Insect nets
Existing in IS to be amended as per current requirement
2
Woven packing sacks
Existing in IS to be amended as per current requirement
3
Leno bags for packaing
Existing in IS to be amended as per current requirement
4
Vermicompost beds
Existing in IS to be amended as per current requirement
5
Geo Jute mats
Existing in IS to be amended as per current requirement
6
Fishing- nets - designation of netting yarns
in the tex system
Fishing nets — netting — basic terms and
definitions
Fishing Nets — Description And
Designation Of Knotted Netting
Fishing nets – cutting knotted netting to
shape (“tapering”)
Fishing nets - determination of breaking
load and knot breaking load of netting yarns
Fishing nets — determination of mesh
breaking force of netting
Jute Hortipots
Existing in IS to be amended as per current requirement
7
8
9
10
11
12
Existing in IS to be amended as per current requirement
Existing in IS to be amended as per current requirement
Existing in IS to be amended as per current requirement
Existing in IS to be amended as per current requirement
Existing in IS to be amended as per current requirement
Existing in IS to be amended as per current requirement
National Seminar on Role of Standards in Promotion of Technical Textiles - 30.11.2011
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DRAFTED STANDARDS FORWARDED TO BIS THROUGH
OFFICE OF TEXTILE COMMISSIONER
 NOMENCLATURE FOR AGROTEXTILES
 SPECIFICATION FOR SHADE NETS
 50 % SHADE NETS
 75 % SHADE NETS
 35 % SHADE NETS
 SPECIFICATION FOR 100 GSM WOVEN GROUND
COVER
National Seminar on Role of Standards in Promotion of Technical Textiles - 30.11.2011
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Draft Indian Standard
TEXTILES – NOMENCLATURE FOR
AGROTEXTILES
FOREWORD
Agrotextiles are fabrics (woven, nonwoven or knitted) used in
agriculture, horticulture, forestry and fishing. They can include
fishnets, shades, ground covers, thermal screens and crop
covers. Common uses for agrotextiles are protecting livestock,
maintaining soil humidity and temperature, eliminating the
impact of pests and general shading.
National Seminar on Role of Standards in Promotion of Technical Textiles - 30.11.2011
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NOMENCLATURE PROPOSED FOR
Agrotextiles
Bird protection net
Cherry covers
Drip Irrigation
Fishing Nets
Green/poly house
Ground covers
Hail Protection fabrics/ Snow
shields
Harvesting nets
Horticulture
Insect nets
Knitted fabrics
Leno weave
Monofil Nets
Mulch mats
Nets for covering pallets
Nonwovens fabrics
Plant nets
Plastic mulch
Root ball net
Shade Nets
Tape nets
Turf protection net
Windshield
Woven fabrics
National Seminar on Role of Standards in Promotion of Technical Textiles - 30.11.2011
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Draft Indian Standard Specification
TEXTILES – SHADE NETS FOR AGRICULTURE APPLICATION – SPECIFICATION
FOREWORD
Sunlight is the natural variant which affects the growth of plants. Every plant shows
optimum growth and yield under regulated exposure to light and heat. In order to
protect fields and greenhouses from the intense solar radiation for healthy plant
growth and good harvest, Shade nets with open mesh construction are used to
control sunshine and amount of shade required. These shade nets are open mesh
structure textiles used to cover the shade houses for regulating the sunlight exposure
of plants inside. The mesh size of the nets is variable decides the shading
percentage provided. Functionally, these net fabrics allow the air to flow freely. So
that the excess heat does not built up under the screen. Also these nets provide
benefits of reducing damage to crop from wind, conserve water by reducing
evaporation and protection from birds, insects and excessive hail and rains. The
selection of shade net depends upon the percentage of shading required for the crop
being cultivated. Apart from application horticulture, floriculture, these nets also find
usage in nurseries, vermiculture shed, cattle sheds, drying of agro products and also
general purpose shading.
National Seminar on Role of Standards in Promotion of Technical Textiles - 30.11.2011
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Table 1. Requirements of Shade nets from knitted Polyethylene
50 % Shading net Polyethylene Tape x Tape construction
Sr. Characteristic(s)
No
1 Weight/square
meter g
2 Tensile Strength
N
3 Bursting strength,
kg/cm2
4 UV Accelerated
exposure testing
5 Light shading
percentage
6 Colour fastness
to light
Requirements
Methods of Tests
Minimum 90
IS 1964, ISO 7211/6
250 – 350
ISO 13934, IS 1969
Minimum 5.5
IS 1966 - 1975
Less than 2 %
Annex B
IS 1969
Annex C
ASTM D1003
IS 2454 – 2008
50 - 56
Minimum 4
National Seminar on Role of Standards in Promotion of Technical Textiles - 30.11.2011
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Table 1. Requirements of Shade nets from knitted Polyethylene
75 % Shading net Polyethylene Tape x Tape construction
Sr.
No
Characteristic(s)
Requirements
Methods of Tests
1
Weight/square
meter g
Minimum 120
IS 1964, ISO 7211/6
2
Tensile Strength N
350 - 450
ISO 13934, IS 1969
3
Bursting strength,
kg/cm2
Minimum 6.0
IS 1966 - 1975
4
UV Accelerated
exposure testing
Less than 2 %
Annex B
IS 1969
5
Light shading
percentage
6
Colour fastness to
light
70 - 80
Annex C
ASTM D1003
Minimum 4
IS 2454 – 2008
National Seminar on Role of Standards in Promotion of Technical Textiles - 30.11.2011
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Table 1. Requirements of Shade nets from knitted Polyethylene
90 % Shading net Polyethylene Tape x Tape construction
Sr. Characteristic(s)
No
1 Weight/square
meter g
2 Tensile Strength
N
3 Bursting strength,
kg/cm2
4 UV Accelerated
exposure testing
5 Light shading
percentage
6 Colour fastness to
light
Requirements
Methods of Tests
Minimum 150
IS 1964, ISO 7211/6
Min. 500
ISO 13934, IS 1969
Minimum 8.0
IS 1966 - 1975
Less than 2 %
Annex B
IS 1969
Annex C
ASTM D1003
IS 2454 – 2008
87 - 93
Minimum 4
National Seminar on Role of Standards in Promotion of Technical Textiles - 30.11.2011
Draft Indian Standard Specification
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TEXTILES – 100 gsm WOVEN GROUND COVERS FOR
HORTICULTURE APPLICATION – SPECIFICATION
FOREWORD
Ground cover fabric is a durable and resilient fabric and is ideal
product for creating artificial paving and weed free surfaces around
crops in gardens, nurseries, farms and greenhouses. Ground cover
is one of the most important Agrotextile products for promoting the
growth of crops. It provides weed suppression and ground
moisture conservation, whilst allowing roots to breathe and water,
air and nutrients to permeate through. This maintains higher soil
temperatures and promotes more rapid and even plant growth. It is
a woven fabric of UV stabilized polypropylene tape yarns to survive
through the effect of continuous exposure to sunlight.
National Seminar on Role of Standards in Promotion of Technical Textiles - 30.11.2011
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Table 1. Minimum Specification for 100 gsm Woven Ground Covers
from PP/PE
Sr.
No
Characteristic(s)
Requirements
Weight/square meter, g
Thickness, mm
Tensile Strength (Grab), Kgf
Warp way
Weft way
Tear strength woven, kgf
Warp way
Weft way
Air Permeability, cft/ft2/s
Puncture Resistance, kgf
Index
UV Accelerated exposure
testing, % Strength retained
Water permeability
lt/sq.m/sec
Water vapor permeability,
gm/m2/day
100
0.28
Methods of Tests
IS 1964, ISO 7211/6
IS 7702, ISO 9863-1&2
ISO 13934, IS 1969
65
35
IS 13937 – 1 & 2
30
20
20
30
70
7
730
IS 11056, ISO 9237
ISO 12236
IS 1969
IS 14324, ISO/CD 10776,
11058
ISO 11092
National Seminar on Role of Standards in Promotion of Technical Textiles - 30.11.2011
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DRAFTS PREPARATION UNDER
PROGRESS
 KNITTED BIRD NETS
 NONWOVEN GROUND COVERS
 NONWOVEN CROP COVERS
National Seminar on Role of Standards in Promotion of Technical Textiles - 30.11.2011
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National Seminar on Role of Standards in Promotion of Technical Textiles - 30.11.2011